The RFID Guardian: a firewall for your tags

[fat mike]

http://arstechnica.com/articles/cult...guardian.ars/1

Much of the information on these chips can be read without exotic equipment, assuming an attacker can get within several feet with a concealed RFID reader. Unfortunately, most tags give users no control over when they respond to queries, and they offer no notification, which means that sensitive data could be at risk in public places.


Melanie Rieback The solution, for those concerned about such things, has so far been low-tech: smashing the chip with a hammer appears to be the preferred method for passports, but it is technically illegal and could lead to unpleasantness at customs.

A new tool from a graduate student at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam offers the first real-time cloak of protection to users concerned about security, and no hammer blows are required. The RFID Guardian is essentially a firewall that can prevent or allow RFID queries, and can do so on a per-tag basis. Melanie Rieback, the Guardian's designer, describes it as a portable, battery-powered device for personal RFID privacy—but even if you aren't concerned about men in dark sunglasses snatching your passport data, the selective jamming tech in this diminutive device is fascinating stuff.

had to see what you guys thought of this

[86Dude]

That sounds excellent. I had planned to smash the RFID chip on my next passport.

I spearheaded an RFID project awhile back. Interesting technology, but the readers take heavy abuse in the retail backoffice. The potential for misuse is extraordinary. There is already a device that will sniff the RFID tags and allow you to recode the chips in such a way that it would change the price for example.

[fat mike]

i remembered you saying something about this stuff

[Dreamintree01]

Wireless sensor networks really interest me, and I've been reading about RFID technology for awhile now. I knew it would soon infiltrate everything, and now I see the chips everywhere. It's the same with any technology. It has potentially great uses, but it will just be abused and used to compromise privacy and to advertise the hell out of something.

[86Dude]

The goal of RFID in a retail environment is a totally cashless, and cashierless system. Fortunately, the price of the chips isn't low enough to afford affixing them to say a pack of gum. When that day comes they'll be attached to everything, cars, stopsigns, peoople...

[Mystlet]

All you have to do to prevent access to an RDIF tag is to enclose it in foil.

Tinfoil, it's not just for heads.

[Dreamintree01]

Originally Posted by 86Dude

The goal of RFID in a retail environment is a totally cashless, and cashierless system. Fortunately, the price of the chips isn't low enough to afford affixing them to say a pack of gum. When that day comes they'll be attached to everything, cars, stopsigns, peoople...

Well, maybe not a pack of gum, but RFID chips only cost around 4-5 cents a piece now.

[86Dude]

Originally Posted by Dreamintree01

Well, maybe not a pack of gum, but RFID chips only cost around 4-5 cents a piece now.

4 cents is a lot of money for a vendor of the worlds largest company to eat on each pack of gum. Until it goes lower it won't be cost effective. The worlds largest company forces it's vendors to eat the loss while simultaneously demanding that they adopt RFID in order to make the worlds largest company more profitable.